Red-Cricket 'Tails'
by Shahrezad1
Summary: Welcome to Red-Cricket Week 2013! :D Prompt Number Five: "Victor and Ruby are BFFs and Victor is the one that actually gets Archie and Ruby together."
1. Day 1

**Red-Cricket Tails**

By Shahrezad1

**Summary:** Welcome to Red-Cricket Week 2013 on Tumblr! :D

**Disclaimer:** I don't own, so please don't sue. And since this is based off of prompts…some of the _ideas_ aren't even mine! *le gasp*

**Day 1**

**Prompt Numero Uno:** _"Ruby thinks of Peter and Billy and understands why she loves Archie."_

Sometimes Ruby's mind focused a bit too often on the 'What If's.

What if life had been different, for example, and what if she hadn't been a werewolf? Or what if she and 'Mary Margaret' had never met?

But more than that, what if Peter hadn't died?

Melancholy thoughts like these seemed to plague her most often when she was alone. Whether at home in her room at the B&B or while finishing up a closing shift at the diner. Mostly she kept up a mask of cheer, but once the cool was gone and the busboy—Jack Be Nimble, she sometimes had to remind herself—was picked up by his mother, Mrs. Zapato—the old woman who lived in a shoe—the thoughts came flooding back.

It seemed as though everything and nothing had changed since the curse's lifting. She still worked at Granny's, still serving the same food to the same patrons (if, perhaps, under alternate appellations). The difference being that Ruby was now also Red—and she now knew why on certain nights she felt like crying for no reason.

Peter had been everything a young girl might be interested in. He'd been sweet, a longtime friend, flirtatious with the tiniest bit of a rebellious streak twinkling in the corner of his eye. What's more, the lad had been hardworking and determined, a trait Widow Lucas couldn't sniff her nose at.

Still Granny had tried to dissuade the relationship. At the time Red had thought that there was something about him which her Grandmere didn't like. Only to find out after the fact that the problem was actually _herself_.

Widow Lucas had kept them apart in order to protect _him_ from _her_.

Having such a traumatic "break up" made it hard to get close to anyone. Particularly when paired with the knowledge that she could be the harbinger of death to her loved ones at any time. Or, on another level of horror, that had things been different she might have ended up passing the wolf gene on to her children without knowing it.

The waitress couldn't help but dwell on that thought, those kinds of 'what-ifs' turning her as cold and shaken as any of her flashbacks.

No, it was better that Granny had kept them apart. Red just wished that she'd told her sooner—maybe, then, some of the horrors she'd instigated might have been prevented.

Billy had been a lot like Peter, in a way. Eager to please, nearly bending over backwards in an effort to gain some measure of approval from her. Ruby had lorded that power over him, teasing the man with kisses and snuggling but never anything more. But as Red she'd been a little more solemn—she _knew_ what her abilities could do to the innocent , and her, "wolfish," side's traits before the curse's resolution just went to show how willing it was to play with its prey.

Even as Belle had been urging her on to give him a chance she'd been leery, worried. When the topic of conversation came up with Snow she'd wisely abstained from any pressure, but Belle—Belle hadn't known any better. She had merely wished for her friend to be as happy as she was. The intelligent librarian hadn't understood the kind of backlash Red's curse created.

And Billy—Gus-Gus—all he could see was her beauty. Her loveliness of personality and spirit. Not the infection lying just below the surface.

Ruby's efforts had all been for naught, of course, and for those hours after finding his body it felt like Peter all over again.

Their smiles an accusation before her face.

She had wanted to die, then. Plus later, too. Until Dr. Hopper stopped by the diner one night. He hadn't said a thing; hadn't offered platitudes or fear. Had merely sat at the bar with a simple mug of peppermint tea in hand. But the man had somehow _known_ what she was going through—thoughts and empathy exuding from soft, pale eyes and loosely clasped hands.

Understanding, that was how he was different from Peter and Billy. They'd been attracted to her like moths to a flame, but Archie—no, _Jiminy_—knew what it was like to be burnt.

What it was like to _be_ the flame.

The werewolf had asked her grandmother about the therapist's past and she'd hardly had anything to say—only that whatever had occurred happened when she and Marco were no more than children, and that neither man liked to talk about it too much.

Also that he was far older than he looked, certainly, and something about Rumpelstiltskin being involved. Which was never good news.

So Ruby had had to venture a question or two herself.

She'd asked him one day after closing, the redhead the last patron of the evening, standing just behind her as Ruby locked up. Then in halting, stuttering words he'd admitted to being the cause of Gepetto's parents' demise.

The two of them had held each other that night and every other night after that.

So while the 'What If's did plague her like her own personal Macbeth, part of her was glad that the end result was good-ish. Not for herself, but for Archie.

Because for all that she'd found someone who understood _her_, the greatest blessing was in giving the good Doctor someone who understood _him_.

~/~/~

AN: Yay! Welcome to day 1! I'm posting this a bit early, as I have a Horror Costume Party tomorrow to be a part of, so I won't have the opportunity after work. :) Still, I hope that it's not too shabby. See you on Sunday for chapter 2. ^^


	2. Day 2

**Red-Cricket Tails**

By Shahrezad1

**Summary:** Welcome to Red-Cricket Week 2013 on Tumblr! :D

**Disclaimer:** I don't own, so please don't sue. And since this is based off of prompts…some of the _ideas_ aren't even mine! *le gasp*

**Day 2**

**Prompt Number Two:** _"__Highschool/College AU: Ruby always had a crush on her teacher Mr. Hopper, they meet again when she is older."_

To be in these halls again was almost surreal, Ruby thought with a smile. It was tinged with sadness, however, as she tiptoed past rolls of carpet and stacked chairs. The hallways, normally clear so as to allow students safe passage, were now littered with debris.

The side effect of upgrade, she supposed with some irony.

The school—her school—Storybrooke High, was being torn down. And the soccer field just to the side of it had been replaced with a series of new buildings.

The place had looked like a prison at first, a blocky edifice of stern brick and windowless levels. But those had come later, along with various glass outcroppings and atriums, and now it was a sturdily-built example of educational architecture. Actually rather pretty when you got down to it.

Still, she wasn't any happier to see the old girl go.

The young woman had missed the official 'goodbye' open house, but when she'd seen the doors propped wide open (due to the smattering of movers, she was sure. Men and women currently occupied with removing her old theatre's much newer seating) Ruby had parked behind the library and decided to take a chance.

Propping Alexandra up on one hip and throwing the toddler's diaper bag over the opposite shoulder, she'd traipsed in with camera phone in hand.

Reliving old memories and noting, despite her wish that things could be different, that her Alma Mater really _was _falling to pieces about her ears. Lockers were a faded light blue—Columbia Blue, so their school song stated—while the Crimson red was garish and flecking off at times. White tiling had slowly morphed into an off-white-ish-grey, and the brick walls were still sturdy if looking old.

The banners which hung from poles at incremental spots within the open, curving stairways were looking faded and tatty, and the golden knight, the school mascot, which had once stood at attention within a large glass case in front of the main office, had been fully removed. Leaving only a patch of floor behind to mark its passing, brighter in color than the surrounding area.

Ruby alternated between reminiscing and bouncing Alexandra, who was distracted enough by her new surroundings (and the various hidden hallways, open doors, and echoing rooms) to hold back on making a fuss. Meanwhile her phone's sim card was slowly filling up.

There were several structures to explore, including the rounded cafeteria ("Stonehenge," it had been traditionally called, with its pillars and wide windows), the Driver's Ed trailers, and the Institute of Religion. The football bleachers had already been rebuilt in an area further from either "school" and the Driver's Ed lot was much as it ever was—full of blank pavement and dull road markings.

Skirting across the back parking lot, she stopped long enough to take a photo of the Graphic Design building's door (the wide surface liberally smothered in student-made stickers and graphics, most of which were peeling off in the salty open air), before moving on to the "English" building.

For all that the place was a ratty example of its kind, tacked on to the border of the school grounds when some past principal had realized that an expansion was needed, but it had nearly been her home away from home. Ruby had been a wild child in her early years, yes, prone to acting out, smoking in the girl's bathroom and dressing outrageously, but by her last year she'd managed to shape herself into something resembling a responsible, proactive student.

Debate, Theatre, Choir. The Lucas girl had also written for the school newspaper for three years running, a sure-fire ticket into most school events in lieu of payment. She'd deliberately tanked the election for Student Body Officer, just to prove to her Grandmother that she had tried, but had somehow managed to wrangle a part in the Senior play.

Ruby had been Miss Prism in, "The Importance of Being Earnest," which must have been someone's idea of irony. Still, the experience was still a fond memory.

The young woman would never tell her grandmother, but it was all due to the special attention of a certain teacher.

Exiting the choir room, which she had found open just by chance, and closing its door carefully behind her, the brunette winced as a loose floorboard squeaked loudly behind her. The shabby orange carpet had always hidden the uneven boards, so that one tended to forget until it was too late that they were there. Ruby had been caught cutting class a time or two due to the things, and with some automatic trepidation she whirled around, clutching her tiny companion to her side.

There was no vice principal lurking behind her, however, lying in wait to drag her down to the office. Instead a man stood there, startled into pausing, and with a start of further surprise Ruby Lucas froze.

It was the lack of sweater-vest which threw her off.

Its nonexistence kept her from realizing just who she was looking over until it was too late. By then she'd noticed strong, _freckled_ forearms, gripping an open cardboard box filled with mixed papers and a collapsible umbrella on top, plus long legs encased in sensible tan slacks. He wore a medium-blue button-up, its sleeves rolled to the elbows, and the man's collar was open at the neck. She could even see a freckle or two lingering at his throat, completely devoid of a tie.

Her gaze rose to his face, finally, and almost immediately burned up from embarrassment.

The so-called 'stranger' she'd just visually felt up was none other than Mr. Hopper, her old A.P. English teacher. The professor who had coached his students into liking poetry, reading Shakespeare as though he actually mattered, and nudged his pupils into actively expressing themselves in their writing.

The redhead had once said, at the very beginning of her senior year, that if you could survive his class then you would be able to survive college (or really anything).

She had. And his statement had been one of truth—nothing could have better prepared her than Hopper's class, even if it _was_ a community college which followed thereafter.

At the time the waitress had had a love-hate relationship with her third period course. Half-loathing the way that she felt when his disappointed gaze rested upon her, Ruby's lanky form squirming uncomfortably. His baby blues had been sad and firm upon the girl being discovered cheating, just the once. But the feeling of his approval was just as strong—his joy infectious, his enthusiasm thrilling.

She'd dared to be someone she was not while in his class. Wanting to be a better person merely for the sake of making him proud.

His glasses were the same horn-rimmed devices, the young woman noted in the wake of all those thoughts and more, his hair only slightly less full than it had been eight years previous. His eyes were as clear as ever.

"Um, hello, Miss," he stumbled at first, seemingly unable to find a response at her sudden appearance, "I'm not sure if you know this, but the school really isn't open to the, uh, the public. I'm going to have to ask you to-."

The brunette's brain finally caught up with her emotions, blurting out, "hey, Mr. Hopper."

He gaped, blinking at first. Then what followed was his own perusal and Ruby nearly blushed as she wondered what _he_ saw, "oh! Oh, um, hello. I'm sorry if I don't recognize you immediately, it's just that-."

"It's okay," she brushed off, even as a small part of her was hurt, "you probably have hundreds of students, so I can't really expect you to remember someone from _eight years ago_."

Not that she was counting.

The good man smiled faintly as he took in her words, "eight years ago? Then that would make it…2005?"

Making her twenty-five or twenty-six, the girl thought smartly and hoped that he noted that she was well past her high school years. That that it mattered. _Really_.

"Yep," she popped the word like bubblegum, "I had you for A.P. English."

"Really?" he remarked, fascinated, and absently moved the box to his hip in thought. Allowing another inch of skin to peer out from below his open collar.

"Passed it with flying colors, too. And I passed the test for college credit," she'd actually only just scraped on through the latter one, and only because a poem they'd discussed in class had appeared on her examination. It had been an act of divine intervention, the girl had always thought. But wasn't she grateful for the eight college credits one single test had provided?

That seemed to spark his memory, and the older man beamed joyfully, "Miss Ruby Anne Lucas, Miriam's granddaughter."

"In the flesh," she laughed, and resettled Alex on her hip. The child, for her part, was currently fixated on the stranger in front of her, although Ruby had a feeling that it had something to do with his spectacles.

"And how are you doing these days, Mi—ah, R-Ruby?" he surprisingly stuttered over her first name and she realized, with a start, that that had never been his first choice when she'd been in high school. It had always been 'Miss Lucas,' or the full 'Miss Ruby Anne Lucas,' an awkward appellation which made her feel older than she was. But 'Ruby' by itself…well, that was certainly different coming from _his_ mouth.

Then he waved at the babe in her arms, "doing well, I s-suppose?"

The dark-haired young woman looked at him blankly for a moment before following his gaze down to Alexandra, "what do—Oh! You mean Alexandra. Oh, she's not mine."

"Oh!" he drew back bashfully and the umbrella in his box nearly tumbled out from the movement, "I apologize for assuming, it's just that…just that…"

She grinned wickedly, and even as she did so Ruby wondered where all of this was coming from. Was she actually teasing her old teacher, poking fun at him as her eyes grew half-lidded? "just that you thought that blonde hair _must_ exist _somewhere_ in my family line, I'm guessing?"

"Um, no of course not."

She playfully scrubbed at the child's mop of golden curls, so like her mother's, and then laughed, "to be honest, I'm more likely to have _red haired_ children than blonde."

The second the words came out she wanted to draw them back as the two adults stared at one another, his box nearly slipping from a shaking grasp. And suddenly Ruby knew what she was doing—she was FLIRTING with Mr. Hopper. Which was disasterous. Especially as no relationship had ever worked out for her, post-Peter. No, no, that wouldn't do _at all_…

Although she _had_ always thought that he was cute, especially when he took his glasses off to clean them and—

**NO!**

"I'm babysitting," the comment came hurtling out in defense against her own mental meanderings, but it was at least a welcome change to where their conversation had been going, "for Ashley and Sean. Um, they were on Student Counsel."

The teacher seemed to come back with a nod, setting his burden down as he tucked his hands into his pockets, "I-I had wondered if those two would ever get together."

"Yep, they're married now," only a year after Alexandra was born, "Ashley's doing night classes and Sean's working. And David and Mary Margaret—Homecoming King and Queen?—they're engaged, too. David inherited his family's ranch."

"That's good," he remarked with all the enthusiasm of a scholar, thus it was unsurprising that his questions turned to her, "and y-you, um, Ruby, are you in school?"

"Just graduated with my degree. In Clothing Design," not that the dusty, holey jeans and baggy T-shirt she was wearing were the best example of her work. But he hardly seemed to notice, nodding thoughtfully.

"Yes, you did seem to always have a head for that sort of thing," his remark was thoughtful and absentminded, Particularly when his follow-up question was, "and Peter? Are you still dating him?"

"Um, no. Peter, ah…Peter died in a motorcycle accident in 2007."

He gaped at her for a moment before stumbling into an apology, "I-I am so sorry, Ruby, that must have been t-ter-um, horrible for you."

"It was," she mumbled awkwardly, "but, um, I'm, you know, okay now."

"Good."

She was left with nothing to say, really. Except perhaps to stare awkwardly at him a little longer, wondering if he also had freckles on his face to go with the ones on his arms. So instead Ruby, lifted the diaper bag higher up on her shoulder, tucked her phone away and held out her hand.

"Well, Mr. Hopper, it was good to see you. I hope that the move from one building to another hasn't been too bad."

One of his shoulders lifted, "not really, although it is rather saddening to see the old girl go. I was just packing up the last of my things, anyway."

Then he took her palm in his to press firmly and her thoughts completely derailed. Why had she never noticed that his hands were so large, she wondered, the fingers long and tapered like a pianists and thumb a steady pressure on the back of her own? His skin was dry and cool, in contrast to the constant heat she seemed to retain, and her instinctual thought was a question of whether he would be willing to put his hand against the back of her over-warm neck to battle the summer swelter.

Her own digits rested on his pulse, and with a jolt of surprise she realized that it was raging like he'd just run a 10K.

Ruby jolted back like she was on fire, blushing as he just stammered his goodbyes. Both headed for the same exit, nearly stumbling for the push-bar, and as he made his way to a beat-up Sedan she made swift strides toward her white Nissan Maxima. But as Ruby fumbled with Alexandra's car seat, finally buckling the drowsy child in, something prickled at the back of her neck. Causing her to straighten slightly and then…look back.

Hopper had stopped with his car door open, and was peering over his shoulder back at her. However, as soon as they made eye contact he attempted to clamor in, nearly hitting his head in the process.

Ruby took a breath, then made a choice.

Closing the back passenger door of her vehicle, she swiftly returned whence she came on sneakered feet. Striding up to her former professor's window, where he sat with hands frozen on the wheel, Ruby leaned in. The redhead didn't even seem too surprised to see her appear.

"Look," Ruby murmured quietly, not-quite looking him in the eye, "I don't normally do this. As in, ever, but…" she slipped a receipt from the diaper bag she still had slung over one arm and then pulled out the pen from his shirt pocket, eliciting a sharp breath in the older man. She also received an answer to her question—he _did_ have freckles smattered across his cheeks, but only a light dose.

"Anyway, um, Hopper, here's my number," she handed the paper and pen over, stuffing the latter into his shirt's compartment and brushing the surface of his chest. When he took the slight offering their hands brushed again, and so she stumbled with the rest.

"And…thank you for, you know, setting me straight."

He finally looked up and Ruby nearly gasped at the endless sky in his eyes, but caught it just in time as he smiled and nodded her back to her vehicle, "it's…it's just 'Archie.'"

~/~/~

AN: THIS IS UNEDITED! You have been warned. :S I just had to get it posted before the day ends. D:

This actually happened. Well, not the "re-meeting a hot teacher that I liked in high school,"—most of my teachers were female and/or married, anyway. But my high school is currently being torn down. Its replacement has already been built and they're just working on the finishing touches. I did miss the goodbye ceremony, but got to walk through the building at a later date. Taking pictures all the while, of course. Except…that then I lost my SD card. Argh! Anyway, at least I got to say 'farewell.' :)

So the school Ruby is treading through is in actuality my own (and most of the "activities" Ruby participated occurred my Senior year of high school). Even the A.P. English teacher described is basically one of my teachers, tweaked to fit Archie (although I never cheated in class). Goodbye, Granger High School. You had a good run. :)


	3. Day 3

**Red-Cricket Tails**

By Shahrezad1

**Summary:** Welcome to Red-Cricket Week 2013 on Tumblr! :D

**Disclaimer:** I don't own, so please don't sue. And since this is based off of prompts…some of the _ideas_ aren't even mine! *le gasp*

**Day 3**

**Prompt Number Three:** _"__Ruby loves Archie's hair. Red has always been her favorite color, and that's the first thing that made her notice Archie: he's the only redhead in town."_

It was during a town meeting when she first noticed it from the back. She'd been late, as usual, lounging outside for a handful of extra minutes if only to avoid sitting with her grandmother.

So instead the waitress leaned against the wall at the rear of the building, standing deliberately behind Mother Superior and her posse. Long legs going on forever and snapping her gum all the while.

Ruby knew how she looked, wearing a short red leather miniskirt, wife beater tank and thick plastic jewelry—bangles round her wrists, beads at her neck and round hoops in her ears. Red was the theme, just as it always had been. She didn't know when she'd started—it had just always been a part of her from the start.

Not that anyone else in town would dare copying her look. Granny sometimes admonished her with quaint phrases like, "emulation is the sincerest form of a compliment," but Ruby recognized it for what it really was—someone trying to muscle in on the rep she'd built for herself.

Tina, the bossy blonde bartender from The Rabbit Hole, had fancied herself impudent enough to try red on for size but Ruby had found out immediately. Needless to say she was back in her usual green faster than you could say "never again."

The Lucas girl was just talented at hounding out anyone who dared toe the line.

Standing a head above the rest—literally—the waitress scanned the crowd for any such telltale offenders. Most everyone in town was present according to the Mayor's royal dictate, sans children and their caretakers of course, so Ruby began her usual game of identification.

Whale had a surprisingly full head of hair, his form leaning slowly toward the auburn nurse beside him before abruptly jerking away. Ruby smirked, imaging the slap or pinch he'd just received for his infraction.

In contrast Leroy was as bald as the day was long, and had the young woman been closer she probably could have checked her vermilion lipstick in the shine.

Cathy or Kathryn or something Nolan—Mrs. Nolan?—sat with hunched shoulders, the space beside her pastel-clad figure empty. Mary Margaret Blanchard, a school teacher, was much of the same, although shorter in height. Neither one really paid any attention to Mayor Mills at the front.

Jim the Gymn teacher—ha ha—was leaning sideways in his seat, gifting her with his strong profile as he fidgeted and bounced his leg with constant activity. She'd flirted with him a time or two and he'd laughed and called her "pretty witty" but it had only been, "for a kid," so that had ended where it began. He probably was looking for some domestic, tame kind of wife anyway, so the both of them were better off this way.

Brown, blonde, grey, bald. One by one she ticked them off in her mind, hardly paying attention to anything their strident leader was yapping about (zoning for fishing areas or something?).

Her gaze skittered to a stop, however, as their resident therapist stood to retake the stand, thanking the Mayor for her "contribution toward a better town." A few members of the audience jerked awake after an hour of up-and-down nod-dozing, particularly that skeezy security guard from the hospital, their subconscious recognizing the shift in vocal modulations and reacting automatically.

But Ruby wasn't focused on any of that, instead her green eyes remained still upon the good doctor. Something was…different about him. And it was not just the tweed and twill, either. His form was as tall as ever, face cheerful and glasses dorky. She couldn't see it from here, but she knew from frequent inspection (hey, making eye contact increased tips!) that they were the palest of sky blues. Probably his best feature. And his hands were long and strong, piano-players hands. None of those details were what had set her senses off, however.

Inspecting the audience once more, she felt like she almost had it when…her eyes caught on one of her bangles, the fire-engine red clearer than it had ever been.

Red. _Red hair._ Archibald Hopper, head-shrink, was the only redhead in town; the only ginger.

The only one who dared attempt a stake at her territory, never mind that it was nature and genetics which had done the talking.

But Ruby found that…somehow, she didn't mind. The anger which usually flashed in her eyes as such an infraction, as ferocious and defensive as any wild animal, was actually comfortable with this detail. Even satisfied, to a certain extent. Maybe somewhat…possessive.

Well, perhaps it wasn't such an infringement then, Ruby thought to herself as she sauntered her way to the front, never mind the fact that everyone else was exiting. She merely weaved with expertise, avoiding several shoulders (and a few hands) until she ended up at her destination.

He was bent over, crouching beside his chair in order to organize a handful of cue cards as she walked up, red-painted toes in crimson stilettos entering his vision first. Long, long legs followed. Caught staring, Dr. Hopper stumbled back with a furious blush—as visible as his hair—and an apology. The waitress didn't hear it, however, leaning forward and up to run her slender fingers quickly through the fluffy batch of curls.

Archie could only stare at her, blue eyes wide, and Ruby stepped back with a smile, popping her hip to the side.

"I just wanted to see if it was as red as it looked from afar," she purred, snapping her gum at the end.

Turning on one heel, the brunette swung her hips as she made her way to the exit and her grandmother's disapproving frown. Ruby didn't care, though—any infraction was totally worth it, if only for the look on his face.

~/~/~

AN: Um, the Ruby in this is as different from every other version of her that I've written (I think?). Which was a definite adventure. XD I was trying to channel the version of her we see in quick moments during Regina's 1980-whatever episode. I just…emphasized the wolfishness in her. XD And there was also quite a bit of Lydia Bennet from the Lizzie Bennet Diaries in this. Early Lydia, mind you, not middle or late Lydia. Please forgive me. -sheepish laugh-

Tina is Tinkerbell. Muahaha. :3


	4. Day 4

**Red-Cricket Tails**

By Shahrezad1

**Summary:** Welcome to Red-Cricket Week 2013 on Tumblr! :D

**Disclaimer:** I don't own, so please don't sue. And since this is based off of prompts…some of the _ideas_ aren't even mine! *le gasp*

**Day 4**

**Prompt Number Four:** _"__Ruby is sick and Archie takes care of her."_

The nausea had come after one too many turns in the motorboat. Billy had borrowed it off of his friend, some guy who dressed like he still lived in the seventies, sold tea and something like moonshine on the side. At first it had been fun, spending a day on the water after the fetid stretch of sweltering heat they'd been dealing with lately. But then Billy had suggested that they go, "one last time," and that had apparently been too much.

She'd used up all her sick days, however, so here she was stuck at work. Not that her grandmother would have believed such a claim, anyway—instead she would probably assume that Ruby was just trying to delay work even further in order to skive off with Billy.

Scrambling for the counter, Ruby allowed the coolness of the metal-rimmed Formica to seep through the palms of her hands. Keeping her eyes open made her feel more nauseous and so she closed them, and her balance was completely nonexistent. Granny had just barely left but she would be back any minute now, fresh loaves of bread in hand to replace what they'd sold. Then it would be back to work for the young woman, and she wasn't sure she would be able to manage such a feat.

"Ruby…are you okay?" the question was asked gently from her elbow, a soothing presence amid the hustle and chatter of the nearly-full diner. She forced herself to focus on the soft query, cracking one green eye open in order to find its owner.

Archie met her gaze worriedly, eyebrows furrowed and forehead creased with intense worry. Ruby tried to smile but said nothing, afraid that if she opened her mouth something other than words would come out, so merely shook her head.

"I thought not; you're white as a sheet," he murmured, and the truth of the matter was that she knew that her lips were probably bloodless from holding them so tightly. As it was she could see her hands and they were splotchy due to the frantic grip she had on the countertop.

She was surprised, however, as Archie almost immediately rose from his seat, coming around the counter to her and…leading her over to where he had just been sitting. The clasp he had on her shoulders was light and careful, but firm in her weakened state. She wanted to open her mouth to dispute the action but felt an immediate wash of relief once she was sitting.

"Lean forward and put your head against the table, you'll feel better," his words washed over like a soothing wind, just behind her ear, so without a thought she did so…

And felt coolness soak through her being. Ruby nearly moaned at the immediate relief which was gained simply by having a chill, stationary surface against her forehead, her eyelashes just barely brushing the surface. She felt more than heard people talking behind her, and the slightest shifting of movement, before someone was placing something in her hand.

"Eat a few of these and then let one just sit on your tongue, salt side down."

She did as instructed, chewing two of the soup saltines and vaguely wondering if Granny would get mad at her for eating on the clock. Or sleeping on the cloth, for that matter, she wondered as she began to dream about running…and then a fly in her cracker-filled soup. But the crackers quickly turned to the moon, and since her soup was tomato then there was a moon staring at her from a bloody sky.

The dreams might have continued had she not been gently shaken.

"Wha…what?"

"C'mon, Ruby, your grandmother has given me permission to take you to my office so that you can lie down until she gets off her shift."

"Oh, Archie, but…Granny will be angry," Ruby murmured through dry lips as she was hefted up, swallowing the last of the crackers. They went down painfully and she frowned at how the world spun even without her eyes open.

"Granny's right here," her relative answered, clutching her opposite arm in the dual lift they worked at to get her off of the stool, and beneath the gruffness Ruby could hear concern, "and if you're actually sick enough to worry about what _I_ think, then you must be truly ill! Archie, I get off at eight so I'll pick her up then. You don't mind babysitting my granddaughter till then?"

"No, of course. It's really fine, Granny. No problem at all," his voice was just as anxious as the elder Lucas woman, but softer in consideration for her hearing, and instinctively Ruby leaned into his chest in an effort to cover one of her ears but that only succeeded in providing her with the thump of his heartbeat. Still, it was a soothing sound and she found herself unconsciously breathing slower, and deeper. Her grandmother had let go of her entirely by this point, and Archie had an arm around her shoulder, so Ruby placed hers round his waist as she stumblingly followed his lead.

Eyes still closed, blindly following at he escorted her out the door. The walk across the street wasn't too bad, but she did have to squint some tiny bit of sight as the therapist directed her through his office's entryway, up a flight of stairs, and down a long hallway. The lighting was somewhat dim, so it wasn't that painful, but entering his office nearly sent her into paroxysms with the harshness of the open window.

The redhead quickly deposited his moaning charge on the long couch before rushing to the window's blinds, but at that point Ruby had already turned into the cushions in search of the darkest cracks it could offer.

She didn't remember much after that.

Some strange dreams involving singing insects and that running one again, although the movement was a bit too much like the chopping waves of the ocean and so she awoke with a start. Trying to hold back the nausea climbing up her throat, she clamped her mouth shut only to blearily see the garbage pail Archie had quickly placed beside her. Her breakfast and lunch contents quickly took residence there, until there was only dry heaving left.

Crying for the hurt in her chest and the raw state of her throat, it took Ruby a few moments to realize that Doctor Hopper was sitting beside her, holding back her hair with one hand while the other rubbed her back. The feeling released another wave of sobs as she leaned into his shoulder slightly, moving back a time or two to cough up some last vestiges of her disorientation. Only when the young woman had finally spat everything out did he carefully place a glass tumbler in her hands, its contents clearly water.

"Rinse out the taste first, then swallow. You'll feel better," he directed soothingly, and she did. Then Ruby finished the rest of the glass, slowly, then had another. Only noticing afterward that he had taken off his suit jacket and tie, leaving his shirt and sweater-vest on. With his sleeves rolled up and outerwear thrown onto his desk chair, it was the most casual she'd ever seen him, and even while ill and distracted she thought that the look was pleasant and appealing.

Exhausted, it was second nature to lean into him again, his fingers combing through the tangles of her hair in long, comforting strokes. She fell asleep against Archie then, Ruby knew, and in another situation might have felt embarrassed had the position that they were in not been so comfortable. Perfect after a distressing, wracking hour of fuzzy incomprehension and ache.

When she finally woke up again the sun had gone down, the light which rebelliously tried to peek between his blinds having thankfully retreated. Her grandmother had been trying to wake her but had only received a muzzy response.

"How long was I asleep?" Ruby asked blearily, leaning against something tall and strong and soft, all at the same time.

"Three hours. It sounds like you had both nausea and heatstroke to deal with," the something said, and the waitress remembered anew that Archie Hopper had been taking care of her. He handed her another tumbler of water, which she sipped before handing back.

"Th-thank you, A-Archie," she whispered, trying to pat his arm and walk at the same time. But that even proved too much, the young woman's legs collapsing in on themselves. The psychiatrist noticed in time, however, swooping his arms underneath her to cradle her in a bridal carry. And wasn't that such good timing, she thought to herself, as they came upon his flight of stairs.

The rocking motion almost made her want to throw up again, so instead Ruby tucked her head into the redhead's neck, gripping the back of his head for a few seconds until the sensation passed. He paused a moment before continuing on through the door, but that was the only recognition he gave regarding her action. Then they were out the door, her grandmother sitting in the front seat of her own red convertible.

Ruby hardly recalled the exchange, especially a few hours later when she woke in the middle of the night to go get two Tums and some of her Granny's chicken noodle soup from the fridge to settle her stomach. But she did recall the coolness of Archie's hands at they brushed against the soft of her neck, his fingers combing through her hair.

~/~/~

AN: The nausea in this chapter is inspired by the nausea I felt on Tuesday. Yep, instead of writing I was at Lagoon! :D Unfortunately, there's a reason why I never ride the Samurai…and what's worse, I followed it up with the Tilt-A-Whirl.

It's a good thing that my roommate has practice taking care of sick individuals (given that she has eleven siblings, most of them younger than her). XD I'm much better now, due in part to her actions. Which makes both of us happy. :) And no, she didn't carry me up the three flights of stairs to our apartment—I just held on to the handrail very, very tightly.

The motorboat belongs to (David) Hatter from Syfy's "Alice." Thought that I'd throw another nerd reference in there. :3


	5. Day 5

**Red-Cricket Tails**

By Shahrezad1

**Summary:** Welcome to Red-Cricket Week 2013 on Tumblr! :D

**Disclaimer:** I don't own, so please don't sue. And since this is based off of prompts…some of the _ideas_ aren't even mine! *le gasp*

**Day 5**

**Prompt Number Five:** _"__Victor and Ruby are BFFs and Victor is the one that actually gets Archie and Ruby together."_

"So when are you going to act on that?" the question came out of the blue one late evening, post-curse breaking and post-one suicidal attempt.

Ruby looked at Whale—no, Victor—with more than a little bit of confusion, "what are you talking about?"

"You. Hopper. What do you think I'm talking about?" he remarked shortly, taking a sip of his scotch and humming a bit at the taste. He'd had better, but then again he'd also had worse. In any case, it was an improvement over the water his companion was drinking.

She'd gone straight-up "Red" since remembering who she'd once been, and it made their relationship interesting. On the one hand, he'd spent twenty-eight-ish years becoming accustomed to the personality that was Ruby. He knew her responses, her reactions, and her retorts. On the other…Red was a better friend. Actually, she was pretty much better all around, and had lately become his conscience in light of how his had almost taken a nose dive off the closest pier.

But he didn't see their friendship as something romantic by any means—it was mutually helpful, true, and it supplied some healing element for the both of them. But the same could be said for any Alcoholics Anonymous group.

That didn't mean that he didn't have her best interests at heart, however.

"The fact that I haven't made a move in five minutes, maybe?" she remarked, waving at the chess board sitting in front of them. Her instincts were good, he'd found, but the fact of the matter was that his mind was made for puzzles. Which resulted in him winning most of their games, but Red sure gave him a run for his money.

"And why do you think that is?" he remarked as he picked up one of the pieces she was debating on and moved it for her.

"Hey! You can't move my piece for me."

"Please, it was your best bet and you know I'm right," was his dry response. The brunette gave him a dirty look but ultimately rolled her eyes and smiled, going with it as she waved him forward so that he could take his turn.

His knight decided that now was a good time to take out one of her bishops. Red scowled, "seriously though, it's a little maddening to watch the two of you make goo-goo eyes at one another. Plus it's making the game drag."

Speaking of drag, he took another swill of his drink. If she won he was paying, if he did then his beverage went on her tab. It was the cheapest series of drinks he'd ever not paid for.

She frowned and ducked her head lower, voice dropping, "we are _not_ making eyes at each other."

"_Right," _Whale—Frankenstein—sneered, "you look down, he sneaks a look. You look up, he goes back to his book. _Please_ tell me that I'm not the only one who's noticed that he's only read two pages in an hour?"

The girl lived up to her namesake and flushed prettily, "so he's having a hard time focusing, so what? Archie—_Jiminy_—doesn't like me."

"Why not? A man would have to be a fool not to have eyes for you, Ruby," excluding himself, of course. He had his own eye on someone a little more…Superior. _Mother Superior_.

Her blush got darker as she glared, "not anymore, they don't. Not when they know what I become. What I've done."

_So?_ His expression seemed to say. They all had a monstrous side to themselves underneath the Storybrooke polish; it was a conversation that they seemed to revisit at least once a week. But even the sweetest of the town's citizens had a dark side.

The werewolf scowled at him, "besides, I'm not going to risk anyone else's lives just for the sake of me feeling good about myself. Not after Peter…and Billy. I can't have any more relationships. Period."

He gave her an exasperated, brotherly look and stood, throwing back the last of his drink and then tossing a twenty on the table. Then, in a loud voice which could be clearly heard by the three other diner patrons, Whale said, "well, I think I've had enough drunken chess for one night," he turned and immediately sought the lonely psychiatrist out, clapping a hand on his shoulder, "how about you take the next round then, eh Hopper?"

Not waiting for a response, the surgeon went his merry way toward another watering hole. Wondering if he might stir up enough courage to wake the ol' Blue Fairy up with a wish or two.

~/~/~

AN: Soooo, I don't drink. Which means that I have no idea what scotch tastes like. –embarassed smile- So forgive the incorrect details if they are, in fact, incorrect. -laughs- And it was rather interesting writing Whale—akin to writing Ruby, only with less flirt and more flat dryness. Kind of similar to writing for Draco Malfoy. XD

And the whole Blue Fairy/Whale think was completely not my fault, I swear! –holds hands up as though before a firing squadron- Seriously, I'm not even joking, it was totally accidental. I just remembered that he mentioned dating nuns in the first episode of the second season and Victor was all like, "well, there's your answer. You're right, I don't like Ruby—I like Mother Superior."

XD


End file.
